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After a long trip on a dead night in rescue for some lost cadavers, expectedly worthless, but still fun with the presence of Adeptus Xiao, Hu Tao was so deadly tired by the time they'd reached the Wangshu Inn, that she almost blacked out of this reality near the Inn. Thanks to her beloved yaksha's help she found herself in a warm soft bed a minute later and then she finally let her mind be blown into the world of sweet dreams.
Somehow she finally managed to persuade Xiao to help her with that matter. It's so hard, cold and lonely to seek corpses at Dragonspine on her own only! So she considers this trip as her little victory over yaksha's stubbornness. His compliance gets more and more usual. It isn't that shocking anymore, but she doesn't really care about Xiao's reasons for now, still overjoyed with her little win.
And now Hu Tao sits before a small mirror and combs her hair. She hums thoughtfully, scrutinizing the reflection of the room she has found herself in this morning. It's definitely and kinda obviously Xiao's room. Where could he take her otherwise, by the way?
This room became their little experiment, a test of the waters in the matter of how to make a cozy room and fill it with the feeling of home.
But…
A vase with a bouquet of silk flowers, placed on the small table under the window. The bouquet of her favorite ones. A small bookcase with a twig of dried red plum flowers on one of the shelves. Her signature one. And a beautiful picture of a peach tree in its full bloom on the opposite wall. The one associated with her name.
It's so… red. But it's also a golden opportunity for her to tease him, too!
She lets out a long sigh, deep in thought, and puts aside a makeup brush she has seamlessly borrowed – with red eyeshadow, of course – from Xiao. "So why is there so much red in your room, Alatus?"
She turns to Xiao. He sits on the edge of the bed, leaning onto his arms and eyeing her carefully with his piercing gaze. He doesn't seem impressed even the slightest. He seems to have gotten used to her calling him sometimes by this name. Aw, such a bummer. She enjoyed that brief bewildered expression on his pretty face that appeared whenever she called him that way earlier.
Now Xiao looks… calm and dim, soothing in a way compared to all these small, yet flashy red decorations in his room at the Wangshu Inn.
He tilts his head aside. "Isn't it you who brought all of that here?"
She bites her lips and looks away a tad guiltily for a swift moment. "Mhm, yeah, but I just wanted to show you an example of little, yet important decorations, that just make a room cozy and fill it with a feeling of home!" She looks into his eyes again. "I didn't want to decorate your room to my taste at all. It's still yours! You have to bring something that you particularly like or that reminds you of something important, something that is special and that matters only for your heart."
Xiao says nothing, as though he's contemplating an answer, and Hu Tao grins slyly, narrowing her eyes. "You know, your room reminds me more of my own sometimes. But to become mine there should be a ghost, the slightest hint of the great funeral ceremony! Or at least a couple of my special coupons on the floor here and there. Though, there is none of it in your room. Do you want me to bring them, too? It's such a nice detail to bring an atmosphere into the right spirits."
Xiao chuckles. "No need to bother yourself. I am satisfied with what I already have now. It's fine."
"What a bummer, you're missing the greatest opportunity! But I can also offer you a friendly discount on flowers. A special one for the bestest buddy in all of Teyvat and beyond of the Wangsheng funeral parlor director! Sounds catchy, doesn't it?"
Xiao sighs and shakes his head, closing his eyes wearily. "It suffices as it is right now. Especially with you here."
Wait, what does he mean by this? Well, one day she will understand the meaning of all his confusing phrases towards her.
She puts the tip of the brush to her lips, purses them, and chuckles thoughtfully again. "You know, red isn't your color at all. Your colors are calm and soothing. A palette of fresh shades of green and bright white! Red is, well, pretty distracting in your appearance or your interior… Although…"
Red still fits him. A lot. Hu Tao darts her gaze at his eyes. He isn't wearing his eyeliner right now, but his usual shade of red looks so good on his lids, whether his eyes are closed in tired expression or open, showing these beautiful amber irises with a tight pupil in his always piercing eyes…
Aiya, the beauty of an immortal being! It feels sometimes a little unfair.
Xiao raises an eyebrow at her. "Although what?"
Hu Tao sighs and shakes her head. "Nothing, nothing." She giggles and returns to her reflection in the mirror. She looks at herself appraisingly and concludes that she looks decent with a brief hum.
Her gaze darts to Xiao's reflection in the mirror. A sly smile stretches across her lips. "By the way, have you not put on your makeup yet, Xiao?"
He folds his arms over his chest. "Hm? How do you imagine it? You've taken up all the space by the mirror."
"Hey! I didn't take up anything! You could have stood next to me with ease!"
Xiao raises an eyebrow skeptically. Alas, it's true that the mirror is too small for the two. But in fact, now it can play into her hands.
Hu Tao claps her hands and slightly leans towards Xiao from her seat with the most hearted smile. "How about your best friend in all of Teyvat and beyond taking care of you, o mighty yaksha?"
Xiao's eyes narrow in disbelief. "What?"
A big smile spreads on Hu Tao's lips. She's almost glowing. "Let me make you up!"
Xiao is surprisingly uncertain when he retorts. Yeah, got him! "I can handle it myself. Your expression… looks too suspicious. "
She grabs his brush and shadows from the table and approaches Xiao. "Oh, no, no and no! You're so mean. I just wanna take a little care about you, silly! Just imagine how nice it is to be taken care of like this! Come on, come on, don't be stubborn! And you did so on your own to me in Inazuma back then! It's my turn now!" She says and bites her tongue immediately.
She didn't plan to bring this topic up now, but… Fine. The situation is already becoming awkward thanks to her brilliant talent at digging graves, especially for herself.
Xiao briefly chuckles under his breath and closes his eyes, sighing in defeat. "Well, then. Go ahead."
Hu Tao is almost squealing with joy that he let her make him up. Such a simple action, but... memories of how he had done her makeup in a hotel in Inazuma flash before her eyes. Her cheeks turn a little warm.
No, no, no, this isn't the time to think about that. She's not going to create a new awkward situation at all right now. Well, she's already started to do so, however... On the other hand, maybe this is a good chance to get revenge for how much he made her nervous back then? Hm, sounds like a lot of fun.
A malicious smile lights up her face. Hu Tao stands right in front of Xiao, almost touching the edge of the bed with her knees, and leans slightly toward him. Her hair falls over her shoulders on his thighs, covering his hands that he has left on his lap.
As she gets closer, she takes a better look at his calm expression and almost chokes with discontent. How can he be so beautiful always, everywhere and even without makeup!
Suddenly she is overcome by a spontaneous urge to flick his nose or poke him on his cheek and giggle at his frowning expression, which he is most likely to make up in response to her prank and which she already clearly sees–
Xiao abruptly raises his face and opens his eyes. Her gaze collides with the piercing gaze of his amber eyes. Goosebumps run down her body from the sudden proximity of his face. Her knees are almost giving way.
And here it is again. It's enough for him to just sit and do nothing to cause weakness in her body. He's acting very mean to her!
But she isn't that easy fish to catch and she won't let herself take his bait twice! Not that time, silly yaksha! She'll get out of this situation in the most decent ways, as a good director should! At least, she'll try her best.
Xiao arches his eyebrows impatiently. "Well, what are you waiting for?"
Hu Tao thinks that her legs give way when she feels his displeased sigh on her lips. Unable to resist his piercing gaze, she abruptly jumps back from his face and stumbles over something, losing her balance.
His strong arms immediately grab her by the waist, stabilizing her position. She rests her hands on his shoulders.
Hu Tao laughs awkwardly. "Oh, oh, how vigilant you are as always! You will bring my fragile maiden's heart to premature rest with such abrupt moves!"
He sneers, slightly squeezing her sides. "It's hard to believe that the heart of someone who just wanders in the dead of night in the middle of graves can be so fragile."
Her heart is throbbing in her chest. She hums. "Hmm, then believe me."
Suddenly, he raises his hand and fixes her fringe, combing some messy strands behind her ear. He hums contently and puts his hand on her hip again, then.
Hu Tao sneakers, covering her smile with a hand ready to make up Xiao's lids. "It's not me who should be fixed, o mighty yaksha."
Xiao deadpans. "Your fringe is a mess now, thanks to your clumsiness. It can distract you."
"It's not a mess and I'm not clumsy! That's rude of you to say such words right after me making myself pretty just a couple of minutes ago, o mighty yaksha!"
Xiao looks into her eyes intantly, then averts his gaze. His voice comes out almost as a soft, but earnest whisper. "Well, I'll admit that you- you look fine. Always, perhaps. "
He still avoids looking into her eyes, but so does she now, feeling her cheeks turn pink in the same adorable shade as his cheeks do, too.
She makes a deep sigh. "Okay, okay, I'm starting. Close your eyes, close them already! And don't frown through the process, o mighty yaksa, otherwise, I will give your eyeliner crookedly, and you will look scarier than an unprepared-for-burial cadaver!"
She giggles to herself. Xiao shakes his head with a wrinkled nose and closes his eyes. He doesn't remove his hands from her waist, either. Well, maybe it's better this way. What if her knees will weaken again suddenly? Unfortunately, this yaksa will not be spoiled at all by poorly applied eyeliner, nor by his terrible frown, nor even by the blood of defeated enemies streamed all over his face.
And yet, she can't help herself but hums cheekily. "Are you that scared of me dropping on you that you still hold me that tight in some appropriate distance, o mighty yaksha?"
He smirks, tapping with his digests on her hips – she feels her heart is beating in the same rhythm as his fingers are – like he's impatient or irritated by her words, or that she still hasn't started to do his makeup. But Hu Tao doesn't feel him being even a little this way. Somehow, he appears more amused and excited, to her surprise. "With someone as clumsy… yes. Better safe than sorry. Moreover, it's pretty comfortable for me to leave my hands this way."
Huh. Comfortable? On her hips?
Her cheeks catch a heat, so she lets it pass over for the sake of her heart's health, racing rapidly after his words she's still unsure how to interpret. Okay, it's time to make his makeup. She's better to focus and distract herself with a matter of hand.
Hu Tao bends down to him and opens the shadows, drops a brush into them, and then brings it to his eyelid. She gently swipes the brush once, and twice and rubs it a little. She leans back a bit, checking her work up and moving on to another lid.
Her jaw tightens in an attempt not to pay attention to Xiao's hands as his fingers stroke her sides and draw affectionate circles. The spots, where his hands rest, are so warm, sending a slight wave of shivers right down her spine. She gulps, trying to focus on the eyeliner she brushed on his eyelid.
When Hu Tao finishes, she leans back again to observe a done makeup. She frowns and curls her lips, leaning the tip of the brush against them.
It's amazing how red suits Xiao, emphasizing the already unique amber eyes with amazing elongated pupils too favorably.
She takes his chin with two fingers, slightly tilting his face to one side, then to the other, and thoughtfully hums. Then, a playful giggle escapes her lips.
She wonders, would the same shade of lipstick suit him? Smeared on his lips, perhaps? And wouldn't it be even prettier, if she smeared it on his lips with hers, finally giving in and indulging her restrained urge to kiss him in a pathetic attempt to convey all the love she harbors in her heart for him only?
Yeah, right, she would die happy if she put on her red lipstick on Xiao's lips that way.
Hu Tao licks her suddenly dried lips, not realizing that she holds her breath and slightly closes her eyes. Unconsciously, she leans a little closer to his face.
Her thumb slides up his chin and gently runs along his lower lip.
Archons, it's so soft… Surely, it would be divine to feel them on hers! Oh, how do they taste? Like his favorite Almond Tofu, right? And maybe he is interested in tasting her lips, too? So he won't be against her kissing him? Or he'll even like it!
Ah, Hu Tao thinks she's drunk even without drinking any glass of wine in a long while… Xiao always affects her harder than the strongest wine, making her dizzying and confusing all of her thoughts.
She bites her lower lip. Should she give it an actual try, considering how – she dares to say – far their relationships are going now?
And yet, she still could misunderstand Xiao's intentions, simply imagining something more behind them in her head, lovesick for him.
Hu Tao swallows and barely tilts his head aside. How difficult it has become for her to restrain her desires lately.
Perhaps he wouldn't mind at all if she–
"Hu Tao?.."
His voice seems somehow distant and hoarse to her. Quiet, it seems lower and more penetrating than usual.
Hu Tao feels a wave of goosebumps running along her spine as he speaks. The feeling of her name on the pad of her thumb… A touch as light as a breeze, the most tender kind of a kiss…
She tears her eyes off his lips and looks into his half-lidded eyes, his gaze is tightly riveted to… her lips, too.
The pressure on her waist increases. Xiao pulls her towards him lightly, she barely notices it, more likely indulging in her desires and dreams. Hu Tao rests her knee between his', following his lead.
Strands of her fringe almost touch his skin as the tips of their noses brush with one another, too.
Aiya… How much she is about to give in right now, but there are still some risks and uncertainties.
Hu Tao shivers and finally releases a breath that she holds back. She's a director, so she should be sane in any situation. And it still will be nice revenge, too, after all.
Better safe than sorry, right?
With a smile, full of affection and regrets, she pushes him off her with another hand. "It's done!"
But…
She falls on his chest as he drags her by her hips that he is holding tightly all this time. She huffs irritated. Xiao chuckles, looking up at Hu Tao. "Are you sure? You've been getting off of reality too easily lately."
She frowns at him. "Huh? Me?"
Then, Hu Tao grins devilishly at Xiao. She puts her palm on his cheek, stroking it with her thumb. She moves on his chest a little higher, looking into his eyes. Their faces are exactly opposite each other.
She tilts her head a little aside, leaning her face closer at the distance of a single breath between their lips with piercing canny eyes, enjoying the way Xiao's eyes narrow in clear anticipation, as his hands move up her back. His touches are always so tender and feel so nice. How is she supposed to stay sane with him being this delicate and handsome by her side?
But she still wants a little revenge. She pats his cheek fondly, grins at him and flicks his nose, then, giggling in amusement at his frown. "It's great, silly!"
And Hu Tao retreats from him, finally breathing normally. She immediately jumps to her seat before the mirror and turns her back to Xiao. Her heart is throbbing in her chest. The sound is so loud and strong that she barely hears the reality, afraid of blackout.
She hears Xiao's soft, somehow delighted laughter behind her, and she can barely resist an instant urge to pull her ponytails with force or slap his pretty face. He's insufferable.
Archons, things go so difficult, yet simple these days…